SoCal CTO

JUNE 9, 2010

Continuing my series of posts that I’ve been collecting that live at the intersection of Startups and being a Startup CTO : Startup CTO Top 30 Posts for April 16 Great Startup Posts from March here are the top posts from May 2010. It is to out friend. Enjoyed this post? We get it! I Be specific. Tesla is not.

Startup 248

Startup Venture Capital Conference Social Media 248

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 17, 2011

Visualization is so important to help yourself & others conceptualize ideas. This applies equally to VCs, startups & big company executives. I think team sessions are better for testing ideas than for original thought, but that’s me. It’s how you codify your ideas. For others they swear by music.

Writing 356

Writing Startup Ideas Summary 356

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 12, 2010

On every project in which we worked it was clear that there was corporate knowledge built up around the organization. I started telling them, “I’m a tourist in your company. Tags: Startup Advice. Such is leadership. And I learned the skills in my days as a consultant. You really know your town.

Help 288

Help Startup Venture Capital Framework 288

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 12, 2014

If you’re a technology startup you need to excel at product, of course. The starting point of product IS marketing, which is what a lot of young entrepreneurs that never studied business don’t realize. The start of marketing is figuring out a market need and a way to solve that need better than anybody else.

Marketing 379

Marketing Startup SEM SEO 379

TechCrunch LA

APRIL 9, 2020

Under the terms of the development agreement, wannabe app creators get their application for free as long as they sign up for the monthly hosting service. Builds of the apps will be delivered around 60 days upon signing up,” said V One founder, Jeremy Redman. “I had an app idea but no real idea how to executive it.

Mobile 250

Mobile Develop Development Artificial Inteligence 250

SoCal CTO

JULY 23, 2012

I received a great question via LinkedIn: I'm the founding engineer and working hard to launch my startup. What can I do to best equip myself to step up when the need to officially fill this role arises? I've previously addressed the role of a CTO in early-stages in my post Startup CTO or Developer. Accounting?

CTO Coach 231

CTO Coach CTO Hire Outsource Development Develop 231

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 18, 2021

Most entrepreneurs I know are individually very innovative, but a successful startup can’t be a one-man show (for long). In fact, some very innovative individuals, known as ‘idea people’ or inventors, often end up creating the most dysfunctional teams. Innovation is not all about coming up with new ideas.

Ideas 123

Ideas Framework Satisfaction Startup 123

socalTECH

APRIL 26, 2011

Los Angeles area entrepreneurs, investors, and startups have gotten to know Paige Craig fairly well over the last few years, as he's made many investments in the local ecosystem. What drove you move from investing to starting up BetterWorks? Part of being an investor is questioning the ideas of founders.

Startup 216

Startup Technical Review Software Review Platform 216

socalTECH

NOVEMBER 8, 2012

We spoke with founder and CEO Samantha Lurey on how her startup is trying to make travel with kids--and eventually, adults--more fun, by providing location-based applications which provide curious travel facts, customizable postcards, and more on different destinations. Where did the idea for the company come from?

Guide 232

Guide Framework Mobile Startup 232

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 4, 2020

If you are seriously looking to start the next billion-dollar startup, you need to get beyond the realm of enhancing a current solution. But we all know that these are not solutions by themselves, but require integration into an innovative framework to solve real customer problems. Be forever curious and optimistic.

Startup 134

Startup Artificial Inteligence Ideas Entrepreneur 134

SoCal CTO

APRIL 2, 2013

What's Going to Go Wrong A lot of founders don't really understand Lean Startup principles. They look at the following high level definition of Lean: and they interpret that as write up an executive summary with your ideas and hand it to developers to build. What's going to go wrong?

CTO Coach 219

CTO Coach Metrics Framework Software Development 219

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 17, 2011

I thought I’d try to offer a framework for thinking about the topic. This conversation seems to come up very frequently these days both with portfolio companies and with entrepreneurs just looking for mentorship. So here’s my framework. In some circumstances this is now stretching up to $2 million.

Help 303

Help Startup Competition Framework 303

SoCal CTO

APRIL 28, 2014

So I promised that I would provide a follow-up after the session. This is that follow-up and hopefully it’s useful to people outside of the session as well. Challenges I started by asking the founders in the room to tell me some of the challenges they have working with developers. Have they considered everything?

Develop 280

Develop Development CTO Coach CTO Hire 280

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 3, 2022

Even young people who start out wanting to be different are called “freaks,” and most are slowly bent back into the norm by the time they “grow up.” I suspect that there are really a lot of “grown-up closet freaks” out there who could be great entrepreneurs. Start working on your weaknesses. Where do you start?

Framework 139

Framework Startup Entrepreneur Ideas 139

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 23, 2020

The best leaders selectively forget the past, and are constantly on the lookout for the future’s raw material of new ideas. To do this, leaders must eliminate the noise of obsolete ideas and activities, by creating protective structures, including dedicated teams focused on innovation. Both are always recommended.

Tips 160

Tips Framework Competition Ideas 160

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 5, 2015

Starting a new business is a serious undertaking. As an entrepreneur, you need to start early to implement the discipline and business practices that will lead to success. The Critical 90 Days From Idea To Market ,” focusing on the first few steps that determine long-term success. Your idea will attract the funding you need.

Startup 109

Startup Ideas Framework Entrepreneur 109

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 19, 2011

The trends are legit, but we have no idea what unexpected breakthrough in human interaction is going to change everything.” Things got so bad on one project that we ended up doing split shifts with teams of people programming from 8pm-6am and the next team arriving at 8am. Then the unintended consequences started cropping up.

Web 355

Web HTML Mobile Social Network 355

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 13, 2011

I talked about this in the TWiVC video but I didn’t do a good enough job of writing it up in the summary notes in the post. No, the ideas aren’t conflicting. Can you just show up without one? Use it as a framework for a dialog not a script. I’m usually itching to just see what you’ve built.

Venture Capital 299

Venture Capital Slides Technical Advisors Startup 299

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 23, 2022

Most aspiring entrepreneurs are convinced that the strength of their initial idea somehow defines them as a leader, as well as the success potential of their derivative business. It takes leadership ability, as well as a good idea, to make a successful entrepreneur, and great leaders evolve from key leadership decisions along the way.

Startup 141

Startup Ideas Entrepreneur Framework 141

InfoChachkie

SEPTEMBER 29, 2014

As I discuss in Entrepreneurs Should Go For The Quick Buck – Then Stop , there are situations in which a startup can generate profitable, near-term revenue that does not support, and may even undermine, its long-term strategy. If I did not start Amazon) I knew that that would haunt me every day.”. Image: Getty Images via @daylife.

Tips 223

Tips Framework Metrics Cloud Computing 223

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 24, 2019

Even young people who start out wanting to be different are called “freaks,” and most are slowly bent back into the norm by the time they “grow up.” I suspect that there are really a lot of “grown-up closet freaks” out there who could be great entrepreneurs. Start working on your weaknesses. Where do you start?

Framework 126

Framework Startup Entrepreneur Ideas 126

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 6, 2021

I see entrepreneurs every day who are trying to change the world with a new idea, and startups that are trying to survive their hyper-growth phase by changing processes to meet demand. Phil Buckley, in his book “ Change With Confidence ,” provides practical answers to fifty of the biggest questions that keep change leaders up at night.

Startup 155

Startup Resource Metrics Technical Review 155

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 3, 2015

Sometimes this feedback is sufficient to start to erode his confidence in pursuing the deal. The same is true at startups. I watch management team hedge by building multiple products and spreading resources too thinly versus having strong conviction in their core ideas. You’re a startup, not GE. Respect > Love.

Startup 150

Startup Venture Capital Invest Framework 150

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 24, 2022

In this context, it’s time for every business, not only startups, to take a fresh look at the basics of business success. Once you have a proven business model, you need to scale the business up quickly to stay ahead of competitors. Every startup needs a sustainable competitive advantage. If you want to be feared.

Startup 112

Startup News Framework Outsource 112

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 13, 2012

Most entrepreneurs I know are individually very innovative, but a successful startup can’t be a one-man show (for long). In fact, some very innovative individuals, known as ‘idea people’ or inventors, often end up creating the most dysfunctional teams. Innovation is not all about coming up with new ideas.

Startup 101

Startup Ideas Framework Entrepreneur 101

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 17, 2014

Even young people who start out wanting to be different are called “freaks,” and most are slowly bent back into the norm by the time they “grow up.” I suspect that there are really a lot of “grown-up closet freaks” out there who could be great entrepreneurs. Start working on your weaknesses. Where do you start?

Entrepreneur 109

Entrepreneur Framework Startup Ideas 109

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 20, 2013

I see entrepreneurs every day who are trying to change the world with a new idea, and startups that are trying to survive their hyper-growth phase by changing processes to meet demand. Here are ten of the key questions that apply equally well to the world of startups and entrepreneurs, as they do to large organizations.

Startup 101

Startup Resource Metrics Technical Review 101

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 22, 2021

Every entrepreneur tries to maximize his startup growth by building and selling more product and services for the widest geographic area that he can support. In every startup, as well as in mature companies, there is no substitute for constantly maintaining a pipeline of alternatives. Both of these qualms are wrong and shortsighted.

Organization 132

Organization CTO Hire Outsource Development Startup 132

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 5, 2013

In 2012, total entrepreneurial activity in the United States hit its highest level since their survey started in 1999, according to Babson College. In this context, it’s time for every business, not only startups, to take a fresh look at the basics of business success. Every startup needs a sustainable competitive advantage.

Startup 99

Startup Competition News Framework 99

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 30, 2019

Starting a new business is a serious undertaking. As an entrepreneur, you need to start early to implement the discipline and business practices that will lead to success. The Critical 90 Days From Idea To Market ,” on the first steps that determine long-term success. Startups always involve risk, but should not be risky.

Startup 127

Startup Ideas Framework Entrepreneur 127

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 20, 2015

Even young people who start out wanting to be different are called “freaks,” and most are slowly bent back into the norm by the time they “grow up.” I suspect that there are really a lot of “grown-up closet freaks” out there who could be great entrepreneurs. Start working on your weaknesses. Where do you start?

Entrepreneur 108

Entrepreneur Framework Startup Ideas 108

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 22, 2011

This always makes me chuckle because in my first company we had 5 investors in our first round and we picked up 5 more before we finally sold the company. While there is no right or wrong answer, having seen the extremes I’d like to offer you a framework for considering the right answer for yourselves. I love that.

Venture Capital 314

Venture Capital Startup Invest Pricing 314

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 4, 2022

Starting a new business is a serious undertaking. As an entrepreneur, you need to start early to implement the discipline and business practices that will lead to success. The Critical 90 Days From Idea To Market ,” on the first steps that determine long-term success. Startups always involve risk, but should not be risky.

Startup 122

Startup Ideas Framework Entrepreneur 122

TechEmpower

DECEMBER 11, 2023

Some offer specialized skill sets like expertise in a particular programming language or framework, or specific domain knowledge. Although noteworthy, working with large corporations differs remarkably from working with startups. Inquisitiveness: Prior to starting the project, you should receive an estimate of the work effort.

Software Development 295

Software Development Software Review Develop Development 295

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 15, 2011

It seems to be an accepted fact these days that big companies normally innovate by buying a startup with innovative products, rather than focusing on in-house innovations. I see many startups who seem satisfied with a “me too” approach, building yet another social network or e-commerce site, rather than being truly innovative.

Startup 94

Startup Case Study Ideas Framework 94

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 7, 2014

Starting a new business is a serious undertaking. As an entrepreneur, you need to start early to implement the discipline and business practices that will lead to success. The Critical 90 Days From Idea To Market ,” focusing on the first few steps that determine long-term success. Your idea will attract the funding you need.

Entrepreneur 106

Entrepreneur Startup Ideas Framework 106

socalTECH

JUNE 15, 2017

Our interview this morning is with Milana Rabkin , co-founder of Stem , a new startup which is developing a financial application which helps musicians and other content creators automate payments to members of their creative team. How did you start the company? What's the biggest lesson you've learned so far in starting up a company?

Startup 140

Startup Content Metrics Platform 140